1. Field of Invention
This invention relates generally to the treatment of periodontal disease, and in particular to a finger applicator which facilitates the application of a therapeutic agent to gum tissue.
2. Status of Prior Art:
Periodontal disease which results in inflammation or degeneration of the tissues which surround and support the teeth most commonly begins with gingivitis and progresses to periodontis. The greatest single causative factor in gingivitis which involves the inflammation of the gum tissue and is characterized by swelling and bleeding, is bacterial plaque. Such plaque is formed by microbial colonies growing on the tooth surface.
The usual treatment for periodontal disease is plaque control by good oral hygiene. But however diligent one is in practicing oral hygiene by removing plaque with dental floss and a toothbrush, in many cases microbial colonies somehow manage to establish themselves on the tooth surfaces. It then becomes necessary to use chemical treatment to destroy microbial activity.
Highly effective for this purpose is the combined use of hydrogen peroxide (H.sub.2 O.sub.2) and baking soda (sodium bicarbonate). Hydrogen peroxide, which is usually available in aqueous solutions of various strengths, acts as a strong oxidizing agent and therefore destroys the anaerobic bacteria present in plaque. Baking soda, which is often used as a mouthwash, acts synergistically in combination with hydrogen peroxide as a therapeutic agent for periodontal disease.
Because of certain practical problems, individual are often discouraged from making daily use of hydrogen peroxide and baking soda for gum treatment. Hydrogen peroxide is fundamentally unstable and must be separately stored in a lightexcluding bottle. Sodium bicarbonate is soluble in water and is stable only in dry air; for in moist air it slowly decomposes. Hence, sodium bicarbonate must be stored in a tightly sealed container.
If, therefore, one is required to treat the gums with hydrogen peroxide in combination with baking soda, these ingredients must be properly stored in separate containers. Each time a treatment is called for, one must then open these containers and remove small amounts from each and intermix the ingredients to create the desired therapeutic agent, being careful to then close the containers.
And in order to apply this therapeutic agent to the gums, a toothbrush is generally used as the applicator. While a toothbrush works well with a dentifrice in paste form which sticks to the bristles, the toothbrush is less effective with a slurry formed by baking soda and hydrogen peroxide. Moreover, toothbrushes are not always in a sterile condition.
Since the present invention provides a periodontal finger applicator having separate compartments therein containing hydrogen peroxide and baking soda, the prior art relating to finger-type dental applicators is of background interest.
The 1976 patent to McCord, U.S. Pat. No. 3,952,867, shows a disposable tooth cleaner in the form of a sealed package having two separate compartments, one having toothpaste therein and the other storing a finger applicator whose outer layer is formed by a fabric capable of supporting the toothpaste. The 1962 MacDonald U.S. Pat. No. 3,070,102 discloses a throwaway toothbrush adapted to adhere to a finger of the user, toothpaste being embedded in the bristles.
In the 1935 Welker U.S. Pat. No. 2,016,951, the dental cleaner is of the cot type which fits on a finger and has a rubbing strip thereon for cleaning the teeth and stimulating the gums. In this device, a charge of toothpaste is contained in a sealed plastic envelope which is ruptured only when the finger is bent to release the toothpaste. In the 1937 Welker U.S. Pat. No. 2,077,540, a finger cot dental cleaner is provided in which the toothpaste is in a reservoir covered by a thin film which is ruptured to release the toothpaste when pressure is applied to the reservoir. A similar scheme is shown in the 1937 Welker U.S. Pat. No. 2,075,681.
Other forms of finger type dental applicators are shown in the following patents:
______________________________________ Over 1,144,777 Homburger 3,176,338 Hobelman 2,419,896 Cohen 1,896,941 Vaughan 2,915,767 Holton 2,921,590 ______________________________________
None of the finger applicators disclosed in the above prior art patents is adapted to provide a therapeutic agent to the gum tissues of the user.